Dwarf
- This article is about the dwarves' lore. For the playable race, see Dwarf (playable).
| Dwarves | |
|---|---|
| {{#if:Dwarfhunt.jpg|[[File:Dwarfhunt.jpg{{#ifeq:{{{resizing}}}|no|||200px}}]]}} | |
| Faction/Affiliation | Kingdom of Ironforge (Bronzebeard clan), Dark Iron clan, Wildhammer clan, Gilneas, Alliance, Silver Hand, Argent Dawn, Twilight's Hammer |
| Racial capital |
{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}[[File:{{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Combat|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Both|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}_{{#switch:small|xlarge=64|large=32|small=15|#default=32}}.png|{{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Mob|hostile=Mob|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Alliance & Horde|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}|link={{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Mob|combat=Mob|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare mob|elite=Elite mob|kyrian=Kyrian Covenant|necrolord=Necrolord Covenant|night fae=Night Fae Covenant|venthyr=Venthyr Covenant|both|neutral|#default=Faction}}]] Ironforge {{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}[[File:{{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Combat|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Both|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}_{{#switch:small|xlarge=64|large=32|small=15|#default=32}}.png|{{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Mob|hostile=Mob|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Alliance & Horde|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}|link={{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Mob|combat=Mob|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare mob|elite=Elite mob|kyrian=Kyrian Covenant|necrolord=Necrolord Covenant|night fae=Night Fae Covenant|venthyr=Venthyr Covenant|both|neutral|#default=Faction}}]] Aerie Peak {{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}[[File:{{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Combat|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Both|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}_{{#switch:small|xlarge=64|large=32|small=15|#default=32}}.png|{{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Mob|hostile=Mob|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Alliance & Horde|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}|link={{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Mob|combat=Mob|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare mob|elite=Elite mob|kyrian=Kyrian Covenant|necrolord=Necrolord Covenant|night fae=Night Fae Covenant|venthyr=Venthyr Covenant|both|neutral|#default=Faction}}]] Shadowforge City |
| Formerly | {{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}[[File:{{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Combat|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Both|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}_{{#switch:small|xlarge=64|large=32|small=15|#default=32}}.png|{{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Mob|hostile=Mob|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Alliance & Horde|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}|link={{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Mob|combat=Mob|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare mob|elite=Elite mob|kyrian=Kyrian Covenant|necrolord=Necrolord Covenant|night fae=Night Fae Covenant|venthyr=Venthyr Covenant|both|neutral|#default=Faction}}]] Grim Batol † |
| Racial leader(s) |
{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}[[File:{{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Combat|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Both|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}_{{#switch:small|xlarge=64|large=32|small=15|#default=32}}.png|{{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Mob|hostile=Mob|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Alliance & Horde|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}|link={{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Mob|combat=Mob|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare mob|elite=Elite mob|kyrian=Kyrian Covenant|necrolord=Necrolord Covenant|night fae=Night Fae Covenant|venthyr=Venthyr Covenant|both|neutral|#default=Faction}}]] [[File:IconSmall_{{#switch:dwarf
|night elf=NightElf
|blood elf=BloodElf
|high elf=HighElf
|#default=Dwarf}}{{#if:Male|_Male}}.gif|{{#ifeq:{{{3}}}|Large|26px|16px}}]] Magni Bronzebeard |
| Racial mount |
[[File:IconSmall_{{#switch:ram
|night elf=NightElf
|blood elf=BloodElf
|high elf=HighElf
|#default=Ram}}{{#if:|_{{{2}}}}}.gif|{{#ifeq:{{{3}}}|Large|26px|16px}}]] Ram |
| Homeworld | Azeroth |
| Area(s) | Azeroth, Outland |
| Language(s) | Common, Dwarven |
| {{#if:|Sources: }} | |
Dwarves are an ancient, bold, and courageous race. The race is split into various different clans, with the three most predominant being the Bronzebeard Clan, the Dark Iron Clan and the Wildhammer Clan. Bronzebeard dwarves hold the majority of the mountainous Khaz Modan region in the Eastern Kingdoms, led by the King Magni Bronzebeard. The Wildhammer dwarves make their homes within Aerie Peak in the Hinterlands and around their former home of Grim Batol in the Wetlands and the Grim Reaches, are led by the High Thane Falstad Wildhammer. The Dark Iron dwarves hold parts of Blackrock Mountain from within their subterranean city of Shadowforge, and are spread throughout the surrounding regions of the Burning Steppes and the Searing Gorge, including areas of the Badlands, are led by Emperor Dagran Thaurissan.
History
Origin and evolution
- Main article: Earthen
In the ancient times, after the Titans departed Azeroth, their children, known as the earthen, continued to shape and guard the deep recesses of the world. The earthen were largely unconcerned with the affairs of the surface-dwelling races and longed only to plumb the dark depths of the earth.<ref name="Awakening of the Dwarves">Ironforge - the Awakening of the Dwarves</ref>
When the world was sundered by the Well of Eternity's implosion, the earthen were deeply affected. Reeling with the pain of the earth itself, the earthen lost much of their identity and sealed themselves within the stone chambers where they were first created. Buried deep beneath the world, the earthen rested in peace for nearly eight thousand years. Though it is unclear what awakened them, the earthen sealed within Uldaman eventually arose from their self-imposed slumber. These earthen found that they had changed significantly during their hibernation. Their rocky hides had softened and become smooth skin, and their powers over stone and earth had waned. They had become mortal creatures.<ref name="Awakening of the Dwarves" />
Calling themselves dwarves, the last of the earthen left the halls of Uldaman and ventured out into the waking world. Still lulled by the safety and wonders of the deep places, they founded a vast kingdom under the highest mountain in the land,<ref name="Awakening of the Dwarves" /> conquering the frigid lands of Dun Morogh from the ice trolls.<ref>The World of Warcraft Townhall/Beastiary#Frostmane Troll</ref>
They named their land Khaz Modan, or "Mountain of Khaz", in honor of the Titan shaper, Khaz'goroth. Constructing an altar for their Titan father, the dwarves crafted a mighty forge within the heart of the mountain. Thus, the city that grew around the forge would be called Ironforge ever after.<ref name="Awakening of the Dwarves" />
War of the Three Hammers
- Main article: War of the Three Hammers
The dwarves of Ironforge Mountain lived in peace for many long centuries. However, their society grew too large within the confines of their mountain cities. Though the mighty High King, Modimus Anvilmar, ruled over all dwarves with justice and wisdom, three powerful factions had arisen amongst the dwarven society.<ref name ="WotTH">War of the Three Hammers</ref>
The Bronzebeard clan, ruled by Thane Madoran Bronzebeard, held close ties to the High King and stood as the traditional defenders of Ironforge Mountain. The Wildhammer clan, ruled by Thane Khardros Wildhammer, inhabited the foothills and crags around the base of the mountain and sought to gain more control within the city. The third faction, the Dark Iron clan, was ruled by the sorcerer-thane Thaurissan. The Dark Irons hid within the deepest shadows under the mountain and plotted against both their Bronzebeard and their Wildhammer cousins.<ref name ="WotTH" />
For a time the three factions kept a tenuous peace, but tensions erupted when High King Anvilmar passed away from old age. The three ruling clans went to war for control of Ironforge itself. The dwarf civil war raged under the earth for many years. Eventually the Bronzebeards, who had the largest standing army, banished the Dark Irons and Wildhammers from under the mountain. Khardros and his Wildhammer warriors traveled north through the barrier gates of Dun Algaz, and they founded their own kingdom within the distant peak of Grim Batol. There, the Wildhammers thrived and rebuilt their stores of treasure. Thaurissan and his Dark Irons did not fare as well. Humiliated and enraged by their defeat, they vowed revenge against Ironforge. Leading his people far to the south, Thaurissan founded a city (which he named after himself) within the beautiful Redridge Mountains.<ref name ="WotTH" />
Prosperity and the passing of years did little to ease the Dark Iron's rancor toward their cousins. Thaurissan and his sorceress wife, Modgud, launched a two-pronged assault against both Ironforge and Grim Batol. The Dark Irons were intent on claiming all of Khaz Modan for their own. The Dark Iron armies smashed against their cousins' strongholds and very nearly took both kingdoms. However, Madoran Bronzebeard ultimately led his clan to a decisive victory over Thaurissan's sorcerous army. Thaurissan and his servants fled back to the safety of their city, unaware of the events transpiring at Grim Batol, where Modgud's army would fare no better against Khardros and his Wildhammer warriors.<ref name ="WotTH" />
As she confronted the enemy warriors, Modgud used her powers to strike fear into their hearts. Shadows moved at her command, and dark things crawled up from the depths of the earth to stalk the Wildhammers in their own halls. Eventually Modgud broke through the gates and laid siege to the fortress itself. The Wildhammers fought desperately, Khardros himself wading through the roiling masses to slay the sorceress queen. With their queen lost, the Dark Irons fled before the fury of the Wildhammers. They raced south toward their king's stronghold, only to meet the armies of Ironforge, which had come to aid Grim Batol. Crushed between two armies, the remaining Dark Iron forces were utterly destroyed.<ref name ="WotTH" />
The combined armies of Ironforge and Grim Batol then turned south, intent on destroying Thaurissan and his Dark Irons once and for all. They had not gone far when Thaurissan's fury resulted in a spell of cataclysmic proportions. Seeking to summon a supernatural minion that would ensure his victory, Thaurissan and The Seven<ref>{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}[[File:{{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Combat|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Both|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}_{{#switch:small|xlarge=64|large=32|small=15|#default=32}}.png|{{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Mob|hostile=Mob|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Alliance & Horde|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}|link={{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Mob|combat=Mob|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare mob|elite=Elite mob|kyrian=Kyrian Covenant|necrolord=Necrolord Covenant|night fae=Night Fae Covenant|venthyr=Venthyr Covenant|both|neutral|#default=Faction}}]] [54] The Smoldering Ruins of Thaurissan (2)</ref> called upon the ancient powers sleeping beneath the world. To his shock, and ultimately his doom, the creature that emerged was more terrible than any nightmare he could have imagined.<ref name ="WotTH" />
Ragnaros the Firelord, immortal lord of all fire elementals, had been banished by the Titans when the world was young. Now, freed by Thaurissan's call, Ragnaros erupted into being once again. Ragnaros' apocalyptic rebirth into Azeroth shattered the Redridge Mountains and created a raging volcano at the center of the devastation. The volcano, known as Blackrock Spire, was bordered by the Searing Gorge to the north and the Burning Steppes to the south. Though Thaurissan was killed by the forces he had unleashed, his surviving brethren were ultimately enslaved by Ragnaros and his elementals. They remain within the Spire to this day. Witnessing the horrific devastation and the fires spreading across the southern mountains, King Madoran and King Khardros halted their armies and hastily turned back towards their kingdoms, unwilling to face the awesome wrath of Ragnaros.<ref name ="WotTH" />
The Bronzebeards returned to Ironforge and rebuilt their glorious city. The Wildhammers also returned home to Grim Batol. However, the death of Modgud had left an evil stain on the mountain fortress, and the Wildhammers found it uninhabitable. They were bitter in their hearts over the loss of their beloved home. King Bronzebeard offered the Wildhammers a place to live within the borders of Ironforge, but the Wildhammers steadfastly refused. Khardros took his people north towards the lands of Lordaeron. Settling within the lush forests of the Hinterlands, the Wildhammers crafted the city of Aerie Peak, where the Wildhammers grew closer to nature and even bonded with the mighty gryphons of the area.<ref name ="WotTH" />
Seeking to retain relations and trade with their cousins, the dwarves of Ironforge constructed two massive arches, the Thandol Span, to bridge the gap between Khaz Modan and Lordaeron. Bolstered by mutual trade, the two kingdoms prospered. After the deaths of Madoran and Khardros, their sons jointly commissioned two great statues in honor of their fathers. The two statues would stand guard over the pass into the southlands, which had become volcanic in the wake of Ragnaros' scorching presence. They served as both a warning to all who would attack the dwarven kingdoms, and as a reminder of what price the Dark Irons paid for their crimes.<ref name ="WotTH" />
The two kingdoms retained close ties for some years, but the Wildhammers were much changed by the horrors they witnessed at Grim Batol. Many of them took to living above ground on the slopes of Aerie Peak, instead of carving a vast kingdom within the mountain. The ideological differences between the two remaining dwarven clans eventually led to their parting of ways.<ref name ="WotTH" /> Others of the Wildhammers, led by the Sky Kings Morgryn of Kalvanost and Redoran of Dun Kithas, parted from their brethren in search of new lands to call their own. Morgryn made war upon the humans of Lordaeron and Alterac, reaping their wealth to restore his own, while Redoran led his people west to Gilneas, where Queen Elaena gifted them a place in the city of Gelnor. To this day, Gelnorian dwarves still live with the humans as one kin.<ref>The Dwarves of Gelnor</ref>
Second War and aftermath
The stoic dwarves of Ironforge spent countless generations mining treasures from deep within the earth. Secure in their impregnable stronghold of Ironforge Mountain, the dwarves rarely ventured beyond the wintry peaks of Dun Morogh.<ref name="WoWManual">World of Warcraft: Game Manual</ref> Even so, when the orcs invaded Azeroth and set out to conquer the human, elven, and dwarven lands, the dwarves emerged from the ancient subterranean halls of Khaz Modan, reporting that the orcs had already begun to assault their mountain kingdom. The dwarves offered their support in arms and ingenious technologies to the Alliance of Lordaeron, who in turn assured them that the orcs would be driven back at all costs.<ref>Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness game manual, The Alliance of Lordaeron</ref> The resilient and ingenious dwarves proved to be the backbone of the Alliance forces and helped usher in victory after victory.<ref name="WoWManual" />
Many dwarven strongholds fell during the Second War, but the mighty city of Ironforge, nestled in the wintry peaks of Dun Morogh, was never breached by the invading Horde.<ref name="WoWManual" />
During the interim of the Second and Third Wars, Falstad Wildhammer commanded a small flight of such gryphon riders who patrolled the shores of Lordaeron for any hostile draconic activity. During the Battle of Grim Batol, they helped Rhonin and Vereesa Windrunner to free the Dragonqueen Alexstrasza from the orcish Dragonmaw clan in Grim Batol.<ref>Day of the Dragon</ref>
When the Horde of Draenor led by Ner'zhul reopened the Dark Portal, a contingent of dwarven gryphon riders led by Kurdran Wildhammer headed through the portal with the Alliance Expedition to stop the Elder Shaman and put an end to the orcish threat.
Despite the splintering of the Alliance, King Magni Bronzebeard vowed that the dwarves of Ironforge would forever owe a debt of honor to the Alliance for liberating Khaz Modan from the Horde's control, and remained a steadfast ally of the failing Alliance of Lordaeron. During the Third War, dwarves from Ironforge and Aerie Peak aided the Alliance in their campaigns across Lordaeron, Northrend, and Kalimdor.
When Gnomeregan was overtaken by troggs after the Third War, the dwarves offered the gnomes a place to take refuge in Ironforge, which they called Tinker Town. The gnome refugees moved to Tinker Town in order to plan a counterattack.
World of Warcraft
Along with Stormwind, Ironforge sat at the head of the Grand Alliance that emerged from the crumbling Alliance of Lordaeron following the Third War.<ref>Hillsbrad Town Registry</ref>
In the years following the Third War, the dwarves unearthed a series of ruins that held the key to the secrets of their lost heritage. Driven to discover the truth about his people's fabled origins, King Magni Bronzebeard ordered that the dwarves shift their industry from mining and engineering to that of archaeology. Magni helped to create the famed Explorers' Guild of Ironforge, a group utterly devoted to plumbing the secrets of the ancient world and delving out the truth of the dwarves' fabled existence.<ref name="WoWManual" />
The Wildhammer dwarves of Aerie Peak were not part of the reformed Alliance after the Third War, but were still friendly and helpful to Alliance adventurers who have proven their worth to them.<ref>{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}[[File:{{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Combat|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Both|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}_{{#switch:small|xlarge=64|large=32|small=15|#default=32}}.png|{{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Mob|hostile=Mob|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Alliance & Horde|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}|link={{#switch:alliance|alliance=Alliance|boss=Mob|combat=Mob|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare mob|elite=Elite mob|kyrian=Kyrian Covenant|necrolord=Necrolord Covenant|night fae=Night Fae Covenant|venthyr=Venthyr Covenant|both|neutral|#default=Faction}}]] [45] Troll Necklace Bounty</ref>
Mysteries of Azeroth
The high elves of the Silvermoon Remnant, with the help of Vereesa Windrunner, made to formally join the new Grand Alliance. However, the bitter memory of its abandonment at the end of the Second War still prevailed, and so they interceded with each of the leaders of the four founding races. King Magni Bronzebeard, who without hesitation accepted them, formally sent his response to Stormwind.
References
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